Above Posts.
“Fosney wrote:
Can anyone remember these buildings as they resemble Guinness Trust or Peabody Trust Buildings in their design, or were they built by the Railway for railway workers? They were bombed during the war, was this the beginning of their demise?
Perhaps someone can enlighten us as to when, why and how these building disappeared?
As far as I can remember they were built for railway workers and as far as I remember they all survived the bombing during the war.
The small building to the right is Webb Street school corner of Paragon Alley. The building this side of the alley by the lamp post had disappeared along with the rest of the houses ( see Paragon Alley post) by the mid to late 1940s but not sure if they were bombed,though it did look like a bomb-site. Just next to it and further back was Worthing Buildings which was bombed out, I can remember climbing all over that and finding all sorts of things, plus the wallpaper was still on some of the walls, great fun,didn’t think about the danger.
Bit of luck that we have found two pictures that where taken possible on the same day in (1914),one looking down the alley and both showing the same buildings. The large building at the far end of the Alley I think is Barrow,Hepburn & Gales,Grange Mills, Grange Road.
- Paragon Alley from Webb Street 1914.
- Webb Street looking towards Tower Bridge Road c1914. Fosneys Post.
Hythe Buildings are on the left.
- Webb Street 2018
Webb Street 2018. Portsmouth Buildings was on the right,Creasy Street was roughly where the path is on the right. Paragon Alley was just passed the lamp post on the left. Worthing Buildings was on the left roughly where the second lamp post is.Harold Estate is still there at the far end. The large building through the trees is where Guinness’s Buildings were.
I can remember going onto the flat roof of the buildings by Swan Mead with my mates. We Would take a balloon or balloons with water in and wait until someone walked passed then drop the balloons down, (no ladies with prams) Seemed funny at the time, tell you the truth it still does but then I could run away, now I can’t. Mind you I did get a few slaps around the head.